Clever Ways to Still Enjoy All the Naughty Snacks

29th May 2018

This post was written by Brittnay from The Nut Butter HubBrittnay is an Australian who lived in London for the past two years and managed to squeeze in 21 trips to Europe & Africa in that time . She is passionate about travel, health and nutrition, you will find her healthy and delicious recipes on The Nut Butter Hub .

Clever Ways to Still Enjoy All the Naughty Snacks

Can’t give up some bad habits? Do you love a sneaky soda or do you get the tub of ice-cream out for one scoop? Well what if you could still enjoy them? You just have to be a little inventive and make some small changes.

Have you ever tried frozen banana in the blender? Well it is a game changer, tastes exactly like ice-cream! You’re going to learn to make some simple changes that will have you eating healthy in no time.

Don’t Step Away from The French Fries

The next time you want fries try baking them instead of deep-frying them in litres of oil. When at home try tossing yoursweet potato wedges in a bag with olive oil and semolina. This coating will ensure you get a crispy oven chip every time. You can also try using a healthy oil like coconut to help reduce your cholesterol levels.

Totally Tasty Pudding

Chocolate pudding is great for when you want something decadent and sweet for dessert. Usually this milk-based chocolate treat can get you into some calorie trouble.

Try cutting out some of the calories by using an avocado base instead of cream. Yes that’s right, you can make your pudding with avocados. You want to blend some cacao powder, non-dairy milk, avocado, and sweetener in your heavy-duty blender. Let the mixture chill in your fridge a few hours. The result is creamy chocolate which is also really food for you.

Boost Your Breakfast

Healthy breakfast options, such as cereals and oatmeal can be pretty boring, especially if you are trying to avoid anything too sugary and calorific. If you can’t do without adding something sweet, add a spoonful of honey or maple syrup instead of your usual sugar. Need something salty? Try adding your favourite nut butter before heating.

Dried fruits are another excellent way of adding some extra sweetness to your breakfast cereals and oats, without adding refined sugars. They are also a brilliant way to add some texture to your breakfast, as are nuts and seeds. If need some more exciting ideas, have you tried Date Sweetened Apple Pie Oatmeal or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oatmeal?

DIY Pizza

You have two good options when it comes to pizza. You can make a pizza bread crust with cauliflower, but is it the classic pizza dough is that you crave? Then why not make it from scratch at home and just switch out what’s on top of the pizza instead?

To really add some flavour to your pizza, whip up some smoked veggies. Putting the veggies in a propane smoker will ensure you don’t have to load up on cheese or fatty meats to add flavour. Try using eggplant or mushroom as they hold a lot of flavour and texture.

So how do you get started? Have your homemade pizza dough ready – spread it out on a baking pan that has been properly floured – brush the pizza dough with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on your smoked veggies as well as a moderate amount of your favourite low-fat cheese. (If you’re feeling a little fancy, feel free to mix some black pepper, garlic powder and some of your favourite spices in with your veggies beforehand!)

Healthy Fried Rice, That Still Tastes like Rice

Rice can be good in moderation however, if you find that when you cook it there is enough for the whole village (and you managed to eat it all) it might be time to find an alternative.

All you need to do is roughly chop your cauliflower and throw in a food processor for a minute. You will find that the texture is very similar to rice. Use this ‘faux’ rice can be used in any dish where you would have normally used white rice and it tastes just the same. One of our favourites is cauliflower fried rice, the family didn’t even blink an eyelid when I served this one up!

We Scream for Healthy Ice Cream

Everyone loves ice cream and since more and more people are cutting out dairy, alternatives should be very readily available in your local grocery store. But if you would like to make your own ice cream then trying banana nice cream is very fast and easy.

To make banana nice cream all you need to do is freeze 3 to 4 bananas and blend in your blender. The result is a healthy version of ice cream. Use your favourite toppings such as nuts and dark chocolate to make this even more of a special treat.

Switch Milk Chocolate for Dark Chocolate

You will find that dark chocolate is much more flavoursome than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa and less sugar & milk solids than regular chocolate. As a result, a little goes a long way. Not only that, without the extra sugar you won’t end up eating the whole bar (we have all been there). You will find that a couple of squares of dark chocolate might satisfy your longing for chocolate.

If already enjoy dark chocolate and looking for a something a bit different, try melting a few squares and drizzling it over some strawberries and coconut yoghurt.

Now you know how to make a few small tweaks and make some yummy dishes! You just need to put it into practice and create some new habits. You will find that these habits will quickly evolve and soon you will be coming up with some tasty tricks and alternative all on your own.